In Chhattisgarh fray, BJP reels from absence of faces, banks on Modi, Yogi to strike a chord

When asked what would happen in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Pawan says, “Yahaan Bhupesh, wahaan Modi (Bhupesh in the state, Modi at the Centre).” Asked what he likes about the Prime Minister, Kumar smiles, saying “India came up from number 55 in the world to number 5 in the last nine years under Modi. The whole world is in awe of him. The country is moving forward at a quick pace under him.” He is, however, unable to explain in what sense India rose from “number 55 to number 5”.

The north Chhattisgarh region has the Sahu, Gond, Devangi (weavers) and Kurmi communities in significant numbers.

A little distance away from Pantora village, Ajay Chandrakar, an OBC Kurmi, appears to be unhappy with the administration under Baghel, who also belongs to the Kurmi community. He laments that there is no sunwaai (response) in the collectorate even in the CM’s own constituency. He says the CM’s nephew may put up a stiff fight and even spring a surprise.

Sahu takes on state minister and Congress candidate Ravindra Choubey. (Express photo)

Ajay then describes how the administration should ideally be. “No one hears us in the Chief Minister’s constituency. Look at Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath. If there is any laxity there (UP), he (Adityanath) knows how to act tough. Bulldozer chalwaa denge (Adityanath will roll out the bulldozers),” he says.

In these talks in different belts weeks before the polls, people barely mention any state BJP leader unless asked about them. State BJP president Arun Sao, who is contesting the Assembly poll this time, was not mentioned even once. This applied even to Raman Singh, Chhattisgarh’s longest-serving CM, who is considered as the BJP’s tallest leader in the state.

While CM Baghel is mentioned, albeit not always in flattering terms, by many people in such conversations, the state BJP leadership seems to be missing from them altogether. If there is a perception that the BJP is stepping up to fight the Congress, which has an edge, it is due to local candidates, who are discussed instead of the state party brass.

Some BJP supporters in Kawardha, the hometown of Raman Singh, compared the local party candidate, Vijay Sharma, to Adityanath. “If you see the way Vijay Sharma talks in the collectorate on behalf of residents, it will remind you of the style of Yogi Adityanath,” said Hansraj Sahu, a local farmer.

After the mention of PM Modi and CM Yogi, the BJP figures in public discourse through local candidates in their constituencies. Be it Vijay Sharma in Kawardha, who is taking on minister and sitting Congress MLA Mohammad Akbar — who had won the seat in 2018 by 60,000 votes against the BJP’s Ashok Sahu — or Ishwar Sahu, a “class 5-pass” BJP worker, the party’s surprise candidate from Saja, whose son Bhuneshwar Sahu was killed during a communal riot in Biranpur in April. There appears to be sympathy among locals for Ishwar Sahu, in whom they see a common man.

That the state BJP leadership is not resonating with people is being seen as giving an advantage to the Congress despite allegations of misgovernance and corruption against the Baghel government.

The lack of its satraps in Chhattisgarh poses a formidable challenge to the BJP in this election, with even Raman Singh having kept a low profile on the political scene in the last five years. The party has also not projected any chief ministerial candidate, thus not offering a face the voters can talk about.

As regards the Lok Sabha polls though, there seems to be enthusiasm on the ground for Modi, which is also marked by a glowing reference to Adityanath.